Folding carton



13, 1934- 1'. c. HAZARD ET AL 1,934,371

4-0 Thgodove C. fiayn'd Yxc g Ls unbur cam Anderson Dec. 18, 1934. 1-HAZARD AL 1,984,371

\ FOLDING CARTON "Filed Nov. 14, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 1mg: GlennQydevson Wu ya W Patented net. 1a, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEGrand Rapids, Mleln, assignors to Ameri eanBox Board Company, GrandRapids, Mieln, a corporation of Michigan Application November 14, 1932,Serial No. 642,582

2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to boxes and more specifically pertainsto folding cartons.

One defect of folding cartons lies in the means whereby they are lockedin their folded position 5 inasmuch as the locking oftentimes becomesreagainst accidental pressures and which will be-' leased or unlockedand hence permits the carton to unfold accidently, such being extremelyundesirable. Another deficiency in some cartons of this type lies intheir weakness of construction, due primarily to the hinge structures,such failing to properly reinforce the cartons when in their foldedpositions. 1

Our invention overcomes the first of these difli culties by providinglocking means which is easily and quickly locked and which will remainlocked tion of. the box together with means for holding them exactly intheir most eilicient position.

Other objects, advantages and meritorious qualities reside in thespecial construction, combination and arrangement of the variouselements forming the invention as more fully hereinafter described andclaimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming partthereof, wherein;

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cardboard box equipped with ourinvention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view showing the box in fully closedposition.

Fig. 3 is a view illustrating the overlapped position of the lockingtabs duringthe process of their movement to locking positions.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the locking tabs in fullylocked position.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the box in an unfoldedposition and showing the right hand side thereof turned inwardly anddownwardly, the corners at this side being partially unfolded in orderto better illustrate the details of construction.

Fig. 8 is a view looking in the direction as indicated by the arrow inFig. 5.

. Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Numeral 10 indicates a side of the box which will hereinafter be calledthe bottom, 20 indicates the top and 30 the rear edge, this rear edgeusually being provided with a handle member (not shown) by means ofwhich the box may be conveniently carried in the manner of carrying asuit case.

The box is formed from an integral piece of material, as, for instance,cardboard, such being cut and folded in a novel manner as will now bedescribed.

The bottom member 10 has an end portion 11 which terminates in a secondend portion 12 and side members 13, see Fig. especially, extend alongthe bottom member and terminate even with the juncture between the endportions 11 and 12, thus forming a substantially square corner portion14 which is adapted to be diagonally bent inwardly about the dotted line15 and next the end portion 12 is folded to overlap the same and stapledin position whereby a sturdy corner construction is provided.

The other end of--the side member 13 is cut so that it may be bentinwardly to form the reinforcing member 16 and is slit as indicated at17.

The top portion 20 has an end portion 21 and sides 23, these sides beingformed as indicated at 24, such providing portions 25 which extend intothe slits 17 as the box is folded. This is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and2.

The end member 21 is slit as indicated at 26 and the end member 21,being return bent as shown, reinforces the partly cut out section.

The end member 11 is slit as shown, see Figs. 1 and 8 particularly,whereby locking tabs 40 are formed. As is clearly shown in Fig. 5, theselocking tabs are bent upwardly from the bottom member 10 on a line whichis slightly spaced from the line of bend of the portion 11 whereby thetabs 40 are spaced from the end member 11 as is clearly shown in Fig. 2,such providing a space for the return folded end portion 21 when it istelescoped downwardly over the end 11. During this closing operation,see Fig. 3, the locking tabs 40 are slid sidewise'over one anotherwhereby the upper ends pass through the slit 26, pressure being exertedby the fingers of the folder upon the bottom of the tabs asindicated bythe arrows A. when the wider upper portions of the locking tabs arethrough the slit 26, upward pressure is exerted as indicated by thearrow B in Fig. 4 whereby separation of the tabs is had and consequentlythe box is locked in its neat and compact folded position.

Shortly previous to the insertion and locking of the locking tabs 40 theportions 25 are inserted in the slits 17, see Fig. 1, and upon completefolding of the carton, see Fig. 2, they are fully inserted to strengthenand hold the several parts in position.

Release or unlocking of the box is had by separating the locking tabs 40to diflerent planes and then pushing them toward one another by pressureupon their edges whereby they assume the position slightly above thatshown in Fig. 3. Then they are pulled downwardly out of the slit 26 andthe box is unfolded, the members 25 sliding upwardly and out of theslits 1'? as will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 1.

The dotted lines in Fig. 5 indicate the usual beaded ribs wherebyfolding is had therealong and all of the junctures are so formed,attention again being directed to the offset folding rib at the base ofthe locking tabs 40 as clearly shown in Fig. 6.

The tabs 40, see Figs. 1 and 2, are prevented against movement into thebox by the return bent portion 12 of the end member 11. Thus a betterconnection is had.

Having thus revealed this invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure the following combinations and elements, or equivalents thereof,by Letters Patent of the United States.

We claim:

1. A folding. box comprising a bottom member having upturned sidemembers, said side members continuing around adjacent corners of thebottom member for a short distance and having slits extending from saidcorners back along the said side members, a connecting member integrallyconnected onto said bottom member at that side of the bottom memberadjacent to the said corners from which the said slits extend, a topmember extending from said last mentioned connecting member, said topmember having depending side members thereon, and portions on the lastmentioned side members adapted to be inserted through the slit members,said portions each having an edge adapted to cam against the rear sideof its slit whereby the connecting member is held tightly against thatportion of the side member which continues around the corner.

2. A carton of the class described comprised of a single integral pieceof cardboard or the like, said cardboard being of rectangularconstruction and bent to U-shaped configuration about its centralportion to form a relatively short side portion and two substantiallyco-extensive top and bottom portions, said bottom portion having sidesof equal depth completely around three of its borders and short sides ofsimilar depth extending inwardly for a short distance along said shortportion of the U, said top member likewise having depending sides ofsimilar depth around its three free edges, said last mentioned sidesbeing adapted to telescope downwardly over the first mentioned sides,each of the first mentioned sides adjacent the short sides having a slitextending longitudinally thereof a short distance, said correspondingportions of the depending sides of the top member being cut away to formportions which enter said slits for the purpose described.

THEODORE C. HAZARD. WILBUR GLENN ANDERSON.

